Rio Grande City, Texas—Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced $1,400,000 for South Texas College’s Project ACCESS (Assistance in Child Care and Enhanced Support Services). The program will assist 45 Pell-eligible student parents at South Texas College with childcare while they pursue their education.

The funding was awarded through the Department of Education’s Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS). At South Texas College, 75% of student parents have said they would not be able to attend college without CCAMPIS aid.

“Because of this program, many young South Texans who would have otherwise dropped out of school, will now have the opportunity to graduate from college,” said Congressman Cuellar. “CCAMPIS allows parents to put their education first without putting their child second. As a Senior Member of the House Appropriations Committee, ensuring funding for the CCAMPIS program has been a priority of mine. In FY22, the program received $65 million in federal funding, a $10 million increase over the previous year. I want to thank Dr. Ricardo Solis for his leadership at South Texas College and for implementing programs like ACCESS that are a tool for young students to excel in higher education.”

"Balancing school and a family are never easy, but this grant is going to make academic retention and degree completion possible for many of our student parents by providing the affordable child care they need," said STC President Ricardo J. Solis, Ph.D. "They are now going to have the opportunity to attend STC, graduate and get the life-changing career they are working towards to better support their families. This grant provides effective support structures that promote persistence, educational attainment, academic achievement and professional and personal growth. It is fostering our students' success."

On average, childcare costs for just one child range from $9,200 and $9,600 per year, and the costs are even higher for parents of infants and those living in urban areas. For many student parents, the lack of access to affordable childcare can be a tall hurdle to enrolling in college and crossing the finish line of graduation. As a result, student parents are less likely to earn college degrees and credentials than their peers who do not have children and are more likely to default on their loans.

In order to help more student parents graduate and earn credentials from institutions of higher education, Congress included the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program in the 1998 amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965, with funding beginning in 1999. The CCAMPIS program provides grants to colleges and universities to support or establish campus-based childcare programs to meet the needs of low-income student parents enrolled on their campuses.


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